(VICTORIA, British Columbia) — Ken Harford, former president of Robert Allan Ltd., was presented with the SS Beaver Medal for Maritime Excellence by the Maritime Museum of British Columbia in a ceremony held at Government House in Victoria on Nov. 8.
Upon graduating from the University of British Columbia as a mechanical engineer in 1970, Harford applied his engineering skills and business acumen to the establishment of a noise and vibration consulting engineering company, a z-drive steering system manufacturer, and a Z-Peller distributorship that all remain as successful companies today. In his role as an acoustical engineer, he was a pioneer in identifying sensible solutions for better noise and vibration control in the British Columbia tug fleet.
Joining Robert Allan Ltd. in 1988, Harford applied his mechanical engineering skills and experience to the arrangement and installation of the propulsion machinery and shafting systems on many vessels types, but particularly tugs. His work contributed significantly to many of the unique and progressive aspects of the Robert Allan Ltd. tug designs that have been widely accepted by the industry worldwide.
Harford became president in 2008 when Robert Allan Ltd. transitioned to an employee-owned company. In January 2015, he retired from his role as president, passing the helm to Mike Fitzpatrick, however he remains as an active director of the company.
